Lock for electric terminal



June 20, 1950 J. w. DAVIS LOCK FOR ELECTRIC TERMINAL CONNECTIONS Filed May 2, 1947 |N'VENTOR JAMES W DAVI AT'TOR NEY Patented June 20, 1950 LOOK FOR ELECTRIC TERMINAL CONNECTIONS James W. Davis, Aberdeen, Wash. Application May 2, 1947, Serial No. 745,416

1 Claim.

This invention relates to looks for electrical terminal connections, and the primary object of the invention is to hold electric terminal connections together, as for instance in extension cords where male and female plugs are joined together and where male plugs are inserted in wall sockets and the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an electric terminal lock that is independently formed at terminal fittings so that these locks can be applied to any standard electric terminal fitting.

A further object of my invention is the provision of attachments for applying to wall plugs wherein the lock may be applied to said attachments and to the plug-in terminal of an electric cord.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the specification, drawings and claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the conventional electrical terminals, male and female, having my new and improved locking device mounted thereon, parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is an end view of the terminal assembly taken on line 22 of Figure 1, showing my new and improved electrical terminal lock mounted thereon.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the terminal and lock taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the parts or halves comprising my new and improved electrical terminal lock.

Figure 5 illustrates my method of attaching my new and improved terminal lock to a wall plug.

Figure 7 is a front view of the wall plug illustrating special fittings secured thereto and adapting my terminal lock thereon.

Figure 6 illustrates my terminal lock adapted to hold a screw-in plug to a male terminal and an electric light cord partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

In the drawings:

I have illustrated standard electrical terminal connections, as for instance the male terminal I and the female terminal 2 attached to electric conducting wires 3 and 4. My preferred form of invention consists of the semi-cylindrical body 5. This body has a partial end closure 6 on both of its ends. A slit I is formed partially around the end closure permitting a flexibility of the body portion at 8. A groove 9 is formed longitudinal of said body portion on one side of the body 5 and a tongue 10 is formed on the opposite side.

An offset socket II is formed on each of the ends 6 and is adapted to receive the offset tongue ll! of the oppositely disposed body 5. The offset socket II and the tongue l2 prevents end movement of the two oppositely disposed body members 5, while the tongue 10 cooperates with the grooves 9 holding the two members tightly to- 2 gether when they are forced towards one another as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

In the operation of the above described lock for electric terminals, the terminals 1 and 2 are joined together, then my lock consisting of two body members 5 a e brought over the terminals and squeezed together, the tongues 19 springing into the grooves 9 and the tongues l2 registering with the sockets H. The tongues 12 not only prevent end movement, but they provide a stop against which the inner walls of the members 5 contact preventing an offset movement of the members due to the pressure of the tongues within the grooves.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified application of my new and improved lock wherein hook members I 3 are secured to a wall fixture it underneath the usual screws [5. The internal flange l6 of the members 5 register with the hook ends I! of the members I3 while the end 6 engages the terminal plug l8. This provides a locking means for holding the electrical terminal I8 within the wall plug fitting l4.

Figure 6 shows another slight modification of my invention wherein a special flange I9 engages the outwardly extending flange 20 of the plug 2|. The end members 6 engage the terminal plug 22 holdin the said plugs together.

What I claim is:

A look for electrical terminals, comprising two semi-cylindrical bodies for forming a cylindrical frame for embracing a pair of coupled terminal members, each of said semi-cylindrical bodies having in-turned end flanges and a resilient tongue formed along one of its edges and a locking element along the opposite edge, the respective resilient tongue and locking element on one element being on the opposite edges of the other semi-cylindrical body, each end flange of each of the semi-cylindrical bodies having a depression on one side and a lug on the opposite side, the lugs on one semi-cylindrical body fitting in the depressions on the opposite semi-cylindrical body, whereby when the two semi-cylindrical bodies are brought together the resilient tongues circumferentially lock the two bodies together and the lugs engaging the depressions prevent endwise movement of the bodies.

JAMES W. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 509,129 Johnson Nov. 21, 1893 733,008 Chenu July 7, 1903 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 36,692 France July 19, 1930 110,732 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1917 356,961 Italy Feb. 23, 1938 

